“Borneonization” is not possible for as long as Malaya is too strong in Malaysia. When Singapore was forced to leave due to UMNO’s fear of PAP and Lee Kuan Yew, the parliament seats that belonged to Singapore were taken by Malaya. That should be distributed proportionately between Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. It did not. When Dato kalong Ningkan and his government were asking for more rights and benefits for Sarawak and its people, a coup was orchestrated. Ningkan was toppled. A puppet Chief Minister Mr. Tawi Sli was installed and designed to prepare the way for the eventual coming of Rahman Yaakub. When Taib became Chief Minister, after been trained in federal cabinet for some time, he imposed strict control over everything. However he allows federal control over anything “malaysia” including the civil service. Taib keeps a perfect balance between Kuching and PutraJaya, and in doing this he prevents UMNO from coming to Sarawak. With very wide power he has and will control politics over the rural people who are made to remain poor for ever. The rural peoples being poor are so beholden to promises, even 90% of it are empty, made by the ruling government. The resources: timber, land, mineral resources including sand, cement, and etc and those under State’s purview, are exploited to the fullest with his cronies are well provided, stocked and given a lot of power. Because deep in his heart Taib senses the “Ningkanism”, if I may use the word, in all Dayak politicians, zero power been given to allministers of dayak origin. Endawi, Tajem, Leo Moggie, and the present Mawan and Masing, they were/are ministers in name but without power. Their ministries are not provided with budget even. DCM Jabu is only for the public gallery: he has no power. So in this type of situation there is no borneonization could ever take place.
There has to be a change of government. Could a change from BN to Pakatan Rakyat bring about “Borneonization”? I don’t think so. PAS, PKR and DAP are all Malaya-based political parties. And they are gaining tremedous influence in politics in Malaya. Not so in Sarawak and Sabah. A government of PR would not encourage “borneonization” too unless the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak can unite to build up a leverage, enough to bargain for better implementation of the dreams of our forefathers that agreed to form Malaysia by Sabah Sarawak Singapore and Malaya, joining in as equal partners. Unless that Sarawak and Sabah will remain “colonies” of Malaya. That will be the case even if the federal government changed hand to PR. On the change of government I believe it is very desirable for BN has been running the country for too long. They have got it into their heads that they UMNO/BN are lord and masters who know all and that they must remain as rulers as if it is their destiny.
There is still hope. Sarawak and Sabah can still be the leverage, the kingmaker, of sort. To BN Sarawak and Sabah are BN’s fixed deposit. We can yet be fixed deposit but not for BN. We should be fixed deposit for “Borneonization”. Think about it guys. Our resources, oil and gas, and our tax revenues that have enriched the federal coffer for far too long. Malaya becoming so rich. Sarawak and Sabah are the poorest states. Why, with the pittance returned to our shores each year after Budget, and these too are to pay for the federal-controlled civil services and development projects? We have no control over our own money, why?. Should we not take charge over these resources and our wealth within our shores? Its not too late. Spread this idea. The future of Sarawak and Sabah are in our hands, our votes during the GE13. We may even undo the trick CM Taib has over us.